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The Chronicles of William Wilde #1
William Wilde and the Necrosed
William Wilde is a seventeen-year-old orphan. All he wants is to finish high school, survive the terrible cafeteria food, and overcome the bullies. Then into his life comes Serena Paradiso. Captivating and confident, she holds secrets about William's heritage. His friends know them, too.So does Kohl Obsidian. He murdered William's family and intends on doing the same to William.All of them watch William, study him, wondering if he is the one for whom they've been searching.William never wanted to be a football star. He never wanted to fear for his life. And he never wanted to be a hero. But those are the prices to pay for someone destined to master the magic in his veins.The life of an 80s teenager has never been so deadly.
381 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 27, 2018
339 people are currently reading
2109 people want to read
About the author
Davis Ashura
22 books517 followersDavis Ashura is an author of such sublime depth and beauty that his works have been known to cause a tear to fall from the eyes of even the hardest of hearts.
Just kidding.
But he does write.
This humble writer, who refers to himself in the third person, resides in North Carolina, sharing a house with his magnificent wife who somehow overlooked Davis’ eccentricities and married him anyway. As proper recompense for her sacrifice, Davis then unwittingly turned his magnificent wife into a nerd-girl. To her sad and utter humiliation, she knows exactly what is meant by ‘Kronos’. Living with them are their two rambunctious boys, both of whom have at various times helped turn Davis’ once lustrous, raven-black hair prematurely white (it sure sounds prettier than the dirty gray it actually is). And of course, there is the obligatory strange, adopted cats (all authors have cats-it's in the by-laws). One eats everything placed before him and the other has the world's stinkiest breath.
When not working – nay laboring – in the creation of works of fiction so grand that hardly anyone has read a single word of them, Davis practices medicine, but only when the insurance companies tell him he can.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
November 30, 2018
I read this for the Self-Pubbed Fantasy Blog-Off
DNF at 40%. It just wasn't very good.
For a self-pubbed book, the spelling and grammar was fine. The story proceeded very, very, very slowly, and I just didn't like the characters or setting.
The main character, William Wilde, is a 17-year old orphan who had been mysteriously cursed during the accident in which his parents died. Suddenly a mysterious, beautiful girl (Serena Paradiso) appears at his school at the beginning of the school year, whose POV indicates that she is spying on him for her master.
The characters were not well-written. The book takes place during the 80s, and it is just a cookie cutter high school setting in which it's the outcasts vs. the jocks and popular chicks. The characters were very one-dimensional in what I had read.
The dialogue is awkward. William makes jokes that I didn't get, which other characters find hilarious.
The girls are always introduced based on their attractiveness.
But there was almost no plot during what I had read. Just high school students going to school and hanging out and stuff. I got bored.
DNF at 40%. It just wasn't very good.
For a self-pubbed book, the spelling and grammar was fine. The story proceeded very, very, very slowly, and I just didn't like the characters or setting.
The main character, William Wilde, is a 17-year old orphan who had been mysteriously cursed during the accident in which his parents died. Suddenly a mysterious, beautiful girl (Serena Paradiso) appears at his school at the beginning of the school year, whose POV indicates that she is spying on him for her master.
The characters were not well-written. The book takes place during the 80s, and it is just a cookie cutter high school setting in which it's the outcasts vs. the jocks and popular chicks. The characters were very one-dimensional in what I had read.
The dialogue is awkward. William makes jokes that I didn't get, which other characters find hilarious.
“I’ve got a vertical leap like you wouldn’t believe,” William answered.He says things that are supposed to be charming. I don't get it. Dialogue does not flow naturally.
“Really?” Steve said in a tone of obvious skepticism.
“Oh, yeah.”
“How high?”
“I can jump right over a piece of paper.”
“A piece of paper?” Steve barked laughter
“A piece of paper?” Steve barked laughter before casting an appraising gaze upon William. “You’re a lot funnier than I remember.”
The girls are always introduced based on their attractiveness.
Seated with them was Lien Sun, the pretty Chinese foreign exchange student who’d been with Daniel’s family since last year.William has the habit of giving names to things, which irritated me. For example, mosquitoes are... “Stupid motorized freckles."
William drew up short, and an embarrassed flush chased away his annoyance when Sonya Bowyer, the most beautiful, most popular girl at St. Francis High School.
The girl glanced toward William, and his heart picked up the pace. Sonya Bowyer suddenly had stiff competition for being the prettiest girl in school.
But there was almost no plot during what I had read. Just high school students going to school and hanging out and stuff. I got bored.
March 12, 2018
tl;dr: The Chronicles of William Wilde is turning out to be an intriguing series with William Wilde and the Necrosed, the first book, being a decent start.
Edit: The author gave me an opportunity to read the second book in the series - William Worde and the Stolen Life - and it is awesome. I am going to revise my opinion of this series to a must-read. The story is more mature and the characters development goes in unexpected directions. I found the book to be reasonably fast paced and I don't think there were any sections in the book that dragged.
-----------original review-------------
I admit it's my fault. I didn't check the blurb to see the genre that William Wilde belongs to. In my naivety, I assumed that William Wilde would be more of 'The Castes and Outcastes', which I loved by the way. Alas, William Wilde is YA with all the tropes associated with this genre.
Boy (or girl) who is an ugly duckling - check. Tragedy in his life - check. Mysterious girl (or boy) who is lying to the hero - check. Undefeatable monster who is defeated by the hero and friends - check. Pop culture references - massive check. Fuckery alluded to but not explicit enough - check. Love triangle - not checked (WHAT?).
As you may have already guess by the tone of my review, I am not a fan of YA these days. Davis Ashura tries his best to breathe some life into this tired (but lucrative) genre but it falls flat.
On the whole, William Wilde is an average read. Hold out for his adult focused writing.
-------------------------------------
Edit: The author gave me an opportunity to read the second book in the series - William Worde and the Stolen Life - and it is awesome. I am going to revise my opinion of this series to a must-read. The story is more mature and the characters development goes in unexpected directions. I found the book to be reasonably fast paced and I don't think there were any sections in the book that dragged.
-----------original review-------------
I admit it's my fault. I didn't check the blurb to see the genre that William Wilde belongs to. In my naivety, I assumed that William Wilde would be more of 'The Castes and Outcastes', which I loved by the way. Alas, William Wilde is YA with all the tropes associated with this genre.
Boy (or girl) who is an ugly duckling - check. Tragedy in his life - check. Mysterious girl (or boy) who is lying to the hero - check. Undefeatable monster who is defeated by the hero and friends - check. Pop culture references - massive check. Fuckery alluded to but not explicit enough - check. Love triangle - not checked (WHAT?).
As you may have already guess by the tone of my review, I am not a fan of YA these days. Davis Ashura tries his best to breathe some life into this tired (but lucrative) genre but it falls flat.
On the whole, William Wilde is an average read. Hold out for his adult focused writing.
-------------------------------------
January 26, 2019
I enjoy the hell out of a YA urban fantasy now and again, and William Wilde hit the sweet spot for me. Very original worldbuilding, in my opinion, and one of the most unique and cool villains I've ever read. And by 'cool' I mean really creepy, nasty and frightening. I was incredibly impressed by the fight scenes, particularly in the finale. The story takes place in the '80s, so there are plenty of great '80s references to grin about. There were some pacing issues, but by sheer enjoyment of the story and writing as a whole, this is easily a 5 star for me. And what really did the trick was the appearance of a telepathic kitten - yup, a kitten - that is apparently much more than a kitten, and has already become one of the most memorable characters in any book I've read in quite awhile. Can't wait to see what's really up with that cat :D
Fantastic action, intriguing world, and truly unique characters. This is really great fun. Highly entertaining, and highly recommended.
Fantastic action, intriguing world, and truly unique characters. This is really great fun. Highly entertaining, and highly recommended.
January 28, 2018
Ready for a rollicking adventure filled with magic and danger? Look no further than “William Wilde and the Necrosed” by Davis Ashura. The story opens with a tragic car crash involving a family of four. Only one boy will emerge from the wreckage. Sadly, however, this is not a “normal” accident. It has been brought about by a strange being named Kohl Obsidian. Who or what Kohl is remains to be seen but one thing is for certain: he’s evil and he is not human. Fast forward several months and we meet high school senior William Wilde and his cadre of best friends: Jason, Daniel and Lien. It’s the first day of school and William is tasked with orienting a new student, the lovely Serena Paradiso, to life at St. Francis Academy. The beautiful new student seems to fit into their group with surprising ease but Serena has secrets of her own and an important mission to fulfill. When William learns there is a hidden group of people called asrasins for whom magic is real he is both skeptical and excited, but when he’s told he has the potential to become an asrasin himself his world is rocked! William, Serena and Jason must fight for their lives against the brutal and seemingly invincible Kohl Obsidian while simultaneously making decisions about their futures. With secrets still rampant amongst the friends, can they somehow manage to band together and defeat Kohl’s evil or will the secrets be their undoing?
Aside from the sinister prologue chapter, William Wilde and the Necrosed starts out in familiar young adult territory as we watch William navigate the oft-treacherous pathways of high school life. Contending with bullies, boring teachers, school sports, and weekends with his friends the first half of the book feels safe and familiar. Set in the late 1980’s some of the pop culture references might be lost on younger readers, but the book manages to maintain a timeless feel. Despite the familiarity Davis Ashura continues to plant little seeds of disquiet throughout, leaving the reader on edge and waiting for the other shoe to drop. And when it does drop? Hold onto your hat! The adventure goes from zero to sixty in record time and holds on tight until the story’s satisfying conclusion. Filled with new lore and mythology, daring escapes, magic and heart-racing action William Wilde and the Necrosed sets the stage for a wonderful series. Adults (young and otherwise) are sure to be entertained.
**Reviewed for Readers' Favorite**
Aside from the sinister prologue chapter, William Wilde and the Necrosed starts out in familiar young adult territory as we watch William navigate the oft-treacherous pathways of high school life. Contending with bullies, boring teachers, school sports, and weekends with his friends the first half of the book feels safe and familiar. Set in the late 1980’s some of the pop culture references might be lost on younger readers, but the book manages to maintain a timeless feel. Despite the familiarity Davis Ashura continues to plant little seeds of disquiet throughout, leaving the reader on edge and waiting for the other shoe to drop. And when it does drop? Hold onto your hat! The adventure goes from zero to sixty in record time and holds on tight until the story’s satisfying conclusion. Filled with new lore and mythology, daring escapes, magic and heart-racing action William Wilde and the Necrosed sets the stage for a wonderful series. Adults (young and otherwise) are sure to be entertained.
**Reviewed for Readers' Favorite**
May 6, 2018
This was a fun little romp full of magic, monsters, secret identities, high school awkwardness, and the power of friendship.
I had a very good time with this book and I’ll be watching out for more from this author
I had a very good time with this book and I’ll be watching out for more from this author
January 24, 2018
Reviewed For Readers' Favorite by Grant Leishman
When seventeen-year-old William Wilde’s mother, father and brother are killed in a car accident, with William as the sole survivor, his life changes forever, but in ways he could never possibly have foreseen. The accident was, in fact, no accident; it was orchestrated by an evil zombie-like creature, known as a Necrosed. In William Wilde and the Necrosed, by Davis Ashura, William must not only cope with the death of his family, but as time goes on he becomes aware that this evil Necrosed, Kohl Obsidian, is actually after him, for something he wasn’t even aware he possessed. William, along with his friends from High School are all, your typical, quintessential nerds and along with the beautiful and mysterious Serena, who is also much more than she seems, embark on an expedition to kill the Necrosed and to introduce William to his true identity and his true heritage.
William Wilde and the Necrosed is a fantastic coming-of-age novel, with a massive dollop of fantasy and fun thrown in. With Davis Ashura setting the novel in the mid-1980’s and having the main characters as nerds, it was inevitable that many of the iconic movies, songs and heroes of the period would find their way into this story. If anything, that served to give the story more character and depth than would have otherwise been the case. The main character of William Wilde was beautifully drawn, as the sensitive, caring, yet geeky High School senior who slowly but surely discovers his true self, his strength, and his true destiny. The close and caring friendships and inter-friend banter was certainly a highlight of the story for me. Don’t lose sight of the fact, though, that this is also a fantasy, adventure story that absolutely rollicks along at a fantastic and, at times, dizzying speed. The fight scenes in the book were carefully orchestrated and choreographed. Ashura’s knowledge and clever writing certainly made these scenes a highlight of the book. An excellent read and I look forward to the second book in this series.
When seventeen-year-old William Wilde’s mother, father and brother are killed in a car accident, with William as the sole survivor, his life changes forever, but in ways he could never possibly have foreseen. The accident was, in fact, no accident; it was orchestrated by an evil zombie-like creature, known as a Necrosed. In William Wilde and the Necrosed, by Davis Ashura, William must not only cope with the death of his family, but as time goes on he becomes aware that this evil Necrosed, Kohl Obsidian, is actually after him, for something he wasn’t even aware he possessed. William, along with his friends from High School are all, your typical, quintessential nerds and along with the beautiful and mysterious Serena, who is also much more than she seems, embark on an expedition to kill the Necrosed and to introduce William to his true identity and his true heritage.
William Wilde and the Necrosed is a fantastic coming-of-age novel, with a massive dollop of fantasy and fun thrown in. With Davis Ashura setting the novel in the mid-1980’s and having the main characters as nerds, it was inevitable that many of the iconic movies, songs and heroes of the period would find their way into this story. If anything, that served to give the story more character and depth than would have otherwise been the case. The main character of William Wilde was beautifully drawn, as the sensitive, caring, yet geeky High School senior who slowly but surely discovers his true self, his strength, and his true destiny. The close and caring friendships and inter-friend banter was certainly a highlight of the story for me. Don’t lose sight of the fact, though, that this is also a fantasy, adventure story that absolutely rollicks along at a fantastic and, at times, dizzying speed. The fight scenes in the book were carefully orchestrated and choreographed. Ashura’s knowledge and clever writing certainly made these scenes a highlight of the book. An excellent read and I look forward to the second book in this series.
February 27, 2018
Full disclosure: I was given a copy of the ebook in exchange for a review.
Now for my thoughts.
Mr. Ashura is the master of a slow burn. In the first book of his prior series (a wicked good read, by the way), and also in this one, there is what seems to be a long buildup before any true “action”. But don’t let that discourage you - think of it like the lit fuse of a stick of dynamite. Mr. Ashura uses the time to craft his worlds and to get you invested into his characters while the fire travels along the fuse, and then BOOM. The action explodes and off you go on a wild ride with the characters you’ve grown to love. And then it doesn’t let up.
William Wilde is a spectacularly fun read, and I truly enjoyed diving into his world. Once I started the book, I had a pretty hard time putting it back down. (*shakes a proverbial fist at the author for causing my lack of sleep*). I just had to know what would happen next! It’s incredibly well balanced, melding action, adventure, magic and even a plethora of geeky references that made me grin or chuckle on more than one occasion.
I cannot wait to see where this series will go - the stage is now set, and I’m excited about what lies ahead for these new characters (and a few familiar, if different, ones).
If anyone needs me, I’ll be over here impatiently waiting for June, and the next book.
Now for my thoughts.
Mr. Ashura is the master of a slow burn. In the first book of his prior series (a wicked good read, by the way), and also in this one, there is what seems to be a long buildup before any true “action”. But don’t let that discourage you - think of it like the lit fuse of a stick of dynamite. Mr. Ashura uses the time to craft his worlds and to get you invested into his characters while the fire travels along the fuse, and then BOOM. The action explodes and off you go on a wild ride with the characters you’ve grown to love. And then it doesn’t let up.
William Wilde is a spectacularly fun read, and I truly enjoyed diving into his world. Once I started the book, I had a pretty hard time putting it back down. (*shakes a proverbial fist at the author for causing my lack of sleep*). I just had to know what would happen next! It’s incredibly well balanced, melding action, adventure, magic and even a plethora of geeky references that made me grin or chuckle on more than one occasion.
I cannot wait to see where this series will go - the stage is now set, and I’m excited about what lies ahead for these new characters (and a few familiar, if different, ones).
If anyone needs me, I’ll be over here impatiently waiting for June, and the next book.
February 24, 2018
I was honored to be granted the opportunity to listen the audiobook of William Wilde and the Necrosed by Davis Ashura, narrated by the sublime Nock Podehl. Nick's performance confirms that he, once again, deserves the credit given him as one of the top narrators in fantasy today.
Fans of Rick Riordan, Suzanne Collins, and Brandon Mull will find a new home with The Chronicles of William Wilde. Those who loved Indiana Jones, the Goonies, and E.T. as kids will also get lost in this Urban Fantasy.
This story is magical. Both literally and figuratively. Ashura has managed to unfold an adventure to us that bridges the generational appeal, promising to delight middle-aged audiences all the way down to high school audiences, much the same way that STRANGER THINGS has done. As a 40-year-old, I found myself living in a nostalgic time through the story, with all the 80's references, while not being able to take the ear buds out as the plot sped along. The magic system is just being introduced, and we get to learn with the characters. For a while, I wasn't sure who was on whose side. With a fair amount of twists and discovery, hints of teenage love, and plenty of adventure, William Wilde and the Necrosed promises a rollercoaster thrills to a wide audience. You will not be disappointed.
Fans of Rick Riordan, Suzanne Collins, and Brandon Mull will find a new home with The Chronicles of William Wilde. Those who loved Indiana Jones, the Goonies, and E.T. as kids will also get lost in this Urban Fantasy.
This story is magical. Both literally and figuratively. Ashura has managed to unfold an adventure to us that bridges the generational appeal, promising to delight middle-aged audiences all the way down to high school audiences, much the same way that STRANGER THINGS has done. As a 40-year-old, I found myself living in a nostalgic time through the story, with all the 80's references, while not being able to take the ear buds out as the plot sped along. The magic system is just being introduced, and we get to learn with the characters. For a while, I wasn't sure who was on whose side. With a fair amount of twists and discovery, hints of teenage love, and plenty of adventure, William Wilde and the Necrosed promises a rollercoaster thrills to a wide audience. You will not be disappointed.
September 3, 2018
I knew what I was getting into reading this book. However, it was fun most times and annoying at some point. Character development was good but the plot has been used a number of times which it's fine.
I pissed me off that somethings still shocked "supernaturals' most especially a talking "spoilers " even Kohl, really? How is it possible that no one was able to figure out a certain person was not who the claim to be with all the neon signs.
respect the way bulling was treated
I pissed me off that somethings still shocked "supernaturals' most especially a talking "spoilers " even Kohl, really? How is it possible that no one was able to figure out a certain person was not who the claim to be with all the neon signs.
respect the way bulling was treated
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 22, 2018
William Wilde is a great name for a high school boy from Cincinnati. He just doesn't know it yet.
But he does know loss of family. He does know friends. He does know bullies. He does know it is his senior year of high school. He does know he is not great at sports. He does know how to be good student. He just needs time to put it all together. A trip with friends over the Christmas holidays brings more gifts than expected and many unwanted surprises.
But he does know loss of family. He does know friends. He does know bullies. He does know it is his senior year of high school. He does know he is not great at sports. He does know how to be good student. He just needs time to put it all together. A trip with friends over the Christmas holidays brings more gifts than expected and many unwanted surprises.
June 20, 2018
The story is decent enough, but the world building was lacking making it difficult to get into the narrative. The naming convention for all his magic related things didn't help with this. Not really much else to say, unfortunately, as it's all just kind of average.
May 27, 2018
This is a fun middle grades fantasy adventure. I think my niece and nephew would have enjoyed it when they were younger. Though Greek mythology isn't involved, fans of Percy Jackson will find a new favorite hero. The 1980s reference will make it a fun read for parents to share with their kids. Read my full review at Girl Who Reads.
February 12, 2025
A good star for a new series, well in line with the author style, although this one seems to be geared to a softer approach compared with his other works assemble of characters in a more mature nature.
August 14, 2023
I have seen this series around for a while and thought that it sounded interesting, so I put it on my to read list. It sat there for a while and I needed kind of a change of pace from what I have been reading so I finally gave this a try. I did read several reviews before I started and they seemed to run the full spectrum of yays or nays.
This book is categorized as 'young adult', which doesn't bother me much...I am getting up into middle age and still enjoy reading books in this category. (without shame) This book I would place in the 'young' side of the young adult spectrum. I have read a wide variety of fantasy, sci fi, horror, supernatural type novels and one thing this one has going for it is the story takes a fairly original pathway that was different from most. (although some Stranger Things comparisons can't be denied) Most of the characters were interesting throughout, but the book didn't dig terribly deep into back stories. It seemed like maybe the writing of this book was approached with the knowledge that it would be a series and some info that could have (should have?) been revealed about certain characters and how they fit into the picture was with held to my frustration.
The antagonist also seems to smack talk quite a bit throughout the book despite getting his butt kicked in every confrontation with William and the crew.
I would also agree with some of the reviews I read that the naming of types of magic gets a little confusing and gets hard to remember.
It is fast paced and easy reading. I may continue on in the series at some time in the future, but not something I would put on my 'I have to know what happens next ASAP' list.
This book is categorized as 'young adult', which doesn't bother me much...I am getting up into middle age and still enjoy reading books in this category. (without shame) This book I would place in the 'young' side of the young adult spectrum. I have read a wide variety of fantasy, sci fi, horror, supernatural type novels and one thing this one has going for it is the story takes a fairly original pathway that was different from most. (although some Stranger Things comparisons can't be denied) Most of the characters were interesting throughout, but the book didn't dig terribly deep into back stories. It seemed like maybe the writing of this book was approached with the knowledge that it would be a series and some info that could have (should have?) been revealed about certain characters and how they fit into the picture was with held to my frustration.
The antagonist also seems to smack talk quite a bit throughout the book despite getting his butt kicked in every confrontation with William and the crew.
I would also agree with some of the reviews I read that the naming of types of magic gets a little confusing and gets hard to remember.
It is fast paced and easy reading. I may continue on in the series at some time in the future, but not something I would put on my 'I have to know what happens next ASAP' list.
March 13, 2018
The characters were interesting and some of the worldbuilding ideas were cool, but the nature of the magic wasn't explained very well and there were a lot of convenient coincidences. One character's magic would fail in a situation to put the characters in danger, but another character would later announce that they are better at that kind of magic, so that it could be used to protect them in an almost identical situation. This might have been more palatable if the mechanics of the magic had been adequately explained, but very little about the magic was explained. When the main character would discover a new talent, he would be told to look inside himself and then he suddenly knew what to do, and would save the day.
I'm willing to give the series another chance, because I liked Ashura's Outcastes series, but I was really disappointed with this first book.
I'm willing to give the series another chance, because I liked Ashura's Outcastes series, but I was really disappointed with this first book.
February 3, 2025
William Wilde and the Necrosed gets off to a slow start, with the adventure portion of the story beginning about 2/3 of the way through the book. The moment the adventure begins, the most likable characters are sidelined—I hope they weren't your favorites! The plot is full of holes, half of which are filled by new magic abilities that suddenly appear to fill the hole, while others are just left gaping.
I thought the book was mediocre but worth finishing until I got to the last three chapters, which should have been titled "The Deus Ex Machina is Introduced" "The Deus Ex Machina Triumphs because the Monster is Dumb" and "Denouement, because we had to bring back the other characters and get rid of the Deus Ex Machina".
I thought the book was mediocre but worth finishing until I got to the last three chapters, which should have been titled "The Deus Ex Machina is Introduced" "The Deus Ex Machina Triumphs because the Monster is Dumb" and "Denouement, because we had to bring back the other characters and get rid of the Deus Ex Machina".
March 4, 2018
It isn't bad but too young adult for me. It's not really clear to me what age the main characters are, sometimes they act like early teens and others like late teens. Everything is a bit simplistic, with the same feelings exposed by the main character every chapter, too much stating and not enough showing.
The story itself is a mix of several common YA tropes. The comparison to Stranger Things is what sold it to me but the only thing they have in common is the time period. Speaking of which, I'm not sure of the regular pop culture mentions, as surely the target audience won't even recognise any of them.
The story itself is a mix of several common YA tropes. The comparison to Stranger Things is what sold it to me but the only thing they have in common is the time period. Speaking of which, I'm not sure of the regular pop culture mentions, as surely the target audience won't even recognise any of them.
April 29, 2021
While I understand this is a coming of age YA book, there are too many "happy coincidences" to push the plot along, and no real explanation of how those skills, item, whatever came about. Things are conveniently added when needed - one antagonist has one expensive car at one point, then another, different expensive vehicle 20 pages later - only to have the first back later in the book - and he's a teen in high school. Character mood swings are bit over the top. Rationale for certain steps taken by the big baddie are not really explained other than it'll be better later.
I understand as a YA book there is more than the usual suspension of belief, however this pushes credulity.
I understand as a YA book there is more than the usual suspension of belief, however this pushes credulity.
September 16, 2022
What's the big idea and/or unique approach of this book?
The book starts with a a big mystery and a promise of magic. But it ended up being mostly a high school young adult drama, with magic coming in the last 25%.
Was I entertained/did it keep my attention?
This was entertaining and well written with interesting and complex characters. The pace was good and drama was classic young adult stuff (bullies, romance, even a football championship).
Would I recommend it to others?
If you like young adult with a bit of magic, yes.
December 25, 2023
This was a decent YA story, and follows a lot of the regular tropes you see in those types of series. My main problem reading this was there was a lot of the book (about half) that didn't touch on anything fantastic at all and basically just follows the main character through his life. You know something's going on behind the scenes, but I was almost ready to put this down before it got to Things Happening For Our Hero. In the end, it was a pretty fun read, with a powerful, if sort of generic villain, and some interesting worldbuilding.
March 5, 2019
I'm continuing with reading the series - I wasn't surprised by any of the twists and turn of the plot... it's serviceable. :) I can definitely tell where a lot of the concepts come from, but nothing throws me out of the story. I'm not in-love with the relationships... they seem very plot-driven, instead of the other way around but again, nothing that throws me out of the story. I'll continue reading.
August 18, 2020
Different, Interesting, and Well-Done
This is a coming-of-age book that uses characters, magic, religion, and strong viewpoints in different and interesting ways. It also place of the story in the late 1980s which makes it dated, but in a good way. It’s fun to see all those references for those of us who live through that time. The characters feel real, their struggles feel real, and the magic system is fresh.
Recommended, and I can’t wait to see more.
This is a coming-of-age book that uses characters, magic, religion, and strong viewpoints in different and interesting ways. It also place of the story in the late 1980s which makes it dated, but in a good way. It’s fun to see all those references for those of us who live through that time. The characters feel real, their struggles feel real, and the magic system is fresh.
Recommended, and I can’t wait to see more.
January 19, 2022
It was already difficult to make it past the halfway mark of the book, yet it somehow managed to go downhill moreso to the point where I tapped out 60-80% in.
Young-adult targeted/centered books really need a cigarettes-style warning on the cover -- "Readers over 18 may experience the following symptoms: increased stress, unexplained rage towards book characters, back-seat writing, and anal-leakage in the worst cases."
Young-adult targeted/centered books really need a cigarettes-style warning on the cover -- "Readers over 18 may experience the following symptoms: increased stress, unexplained rage towards book characters, back-seat writing, and anal-leakage in the worst cases."
December 19, 2022
Okay there are some things that I just don't understand. First I loved the fact that there were maps in the first trilogy but in this book it disappeared and I didn't understand how this book ties into first trilogy. Other than Aia and Jessira both make an appearance. We can assume that this takes place a while later after the events of the first trilogy but we don't know how long. But dispite its major flaws it is still a fun and enjoyable read!
May 27, 2018
I loved the book. Can not wait for the next one. It was alot of fun!! I really enjoy the author's books...his first series is still one of my favorites. Can't wait to see what this one is going to be like.
December 2, 2018
There's really nothing compelling that can be found here. The magic, the characters, the dialogues are not very exciting. It read well but I was bored and kept waiting for something that would intrigue me but ultimately there was none.
June 7, 2019
Fun quick adventure.
September 28, 2020
Good story
Different and the same. Different type of coming of age story and a coming of age story that's same old.
Different and the same. Different type of coming of age story and a coming of age story that's same old.
November 18, 2020
Fun read
A fun read. You will find yourself rooting for William Wilde. This is an interesting story with relatable characters. I look forward to the next installment.
A fun read. You will find yourself rooting for William Wilde. This is an interesting story with relatable characters. I look forward to the next installment.
December 3, 2020
DNF 18%
Didn't rise above a mediocre YA story. Nothing to hook the reader at the start.
Didn't rise above a mediocre YA story. Nothing to hook the reader at the start.
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